Gregory Stephens is the division director of the Space Coast Division of the March of Dimes. / RIK JESSE/FLORIDA TODAY

Written by

Kristen Alligood

FLORIDA TODAY

What fundraising activities or events will we expect to see in the coming months?

“There are three signature events at the March of Dimes here in Brevard County,” Stephens said. 1. March for Babies, scheduled for April 27, 2013. “That is a 5K walk.” 2. The Signature Chef Auction on Dec. 5 at the Holiday Inn-Viera. “You go and you eat and it’s a cash bar and during the night you can go and bid. We recruit some of the top chefs in Brevard County to do a signature dish. The donors will walk around and taste the different dishes at these chef stations. Along with it we have a silent auction and a live auction. We’re tying in a holiday theme.” 3. Bikers for Babies, scheduled for Nov. 11. “Basically, bikers come together and we have a sanctioned ride somewhere through Brevard County and then they come back and have a barbeque lunch and an auction.”

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Gregory Stephens has joined the Florida Chapter of March of Dimes as division director. He will be based out of the Space Coast Division Office in Melbourne.

Stephens’ responsibilities will be to position the March of Dimes as the leader in maternal and child health with key decision makers throughout Brevard County. His first priority will be to mobilize a team of volunteers to organize a division board that will execute fundraising activities and implement educational programs.

Stephens previously worked as the area executive director for the American Cancer Society in Brevard County for seven years, during which time he increased revenue by 72 percent and was a three-time recipient of the Chairman’s Cup, the ACS’s highest area achievement award. He also served in the United States Army as a medical specialist/combat medic for three years.

The March of Dimes is the nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. It works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For information, visit www.marchofdimes.com/Florida.

A few questions with Stephens:

What are your job duties as division director?

“My number one priority is engaging volunteers to have a passion about this mission. I’m developing the board and looking for strategic-minded board members. We’re looking for strategic types of board members that can put the March of Dimes on the map in Brevard County; and the volunteer committees, I’m looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And, of course, this whole thing boils down to promoting stronger, healthier babies here in Brevard County. The United States, we rank 138th out of 184 (countries) worldwide, as far as premature rates or deaths. We’re trying to reduce or eliminate the number of premature births, so we’re constantly educating the public about the 39 weeks and the dangers of C-section and premature births and all the complications that comes out of that.”

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Stephens said, in 2011, the premature birth rate (births at less than 37 weeks) was 12.8 percent, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Why work in nonprofit?

“It’s about people who come together for a common cause. When I first started with American Cancer Society, it was just a job. Then all of a sudden you see the people who cancer affects. So you become … your passion of helping people it has to, front and center. You’re helping people to overcome these things that have happened in their lives, whether it be cancer or premature births.”

You’re working in the nonprofit industry in a challenging time. How has the recession affected the March of Dimes?

“I think the recession has affected a lot for the nonprofits and, here again, when the purse strings get tightened, you have to look at where you spend your dollars. There’s a lot of organizations that rely on federal funding. The March of Dimes are strictly funded by our signature events, so we don’t have to get money from the government. What I have found is when times are good, times are good, when times are bad then, obviously, you have to find creative ways to raise those dollars. Because the mission does not stop in a recession. I still have the vision of 5,000 in Brevard county giving $200 over a year’s time, that’s a million dollars toward our cause. You know, $200, we’re talking about $20 a month. Just being creative in that respect. That’s one of my visions for the walk is to build it up to where there’s 5,000 people that’s raised a minimum of $200, and I know 5,000 is possible — the key (is) getting people not just to come out and walk but to truly have an impact on the mission.”

When you worked with the ACS, you increased revenue by 72 percent. What’s your secret? How’d you do it?

“The secret is volunteers, volunteers, volunteers. I live by the philosophy that many hands make the workload light. That’s what I’ve found. I cannot do it by myself. I have to surround myself with like-minded people that are mission-driven, mission-passionate, and they will fight for this cause no matter what.”

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In a time when so many people are focused on juggling careers, family responsibilities and social engagements, do you find it challenging to recruit volunteers?

“No. I work with the Brevard County school system. What I find is, especially (high school) seniors, they have to get their Bright Futures volunteer hours in, so we start with that younger crowd. But also there’s people that’s tied to our mission, they’ve had premature babies, or in my case, I had a premature daughter — she was born six weeks early. Then my son was born with a condition with a TE Fistula (tracheoesophageal fistula) where he stayed in the NICU for several weeks and then two or three times during that year he went to several surgeries. My son became a million dollar baby. It was very traumatic going through that experience. There are people in Brevard County that’s going through that. When I came on board with the March of Dimes, (I thought) this is where I need to be. Volunteers are amazing. Like you said, people are busy, they have their jobs, they have their families, but they still find time to come out and volunteer for a worthwhile cause. To me, it’s always been amazing.”

What fundraising activities or events will we expect to see in the coming months?

“There are three signature events at the March of Dimes here in Brevard County,” Stephens said. 1. March for Babies, scheduled for April 27, 2013. “That is a 5K walk.” 2. The Signature Chef Auction on Dec. 5 at the Holiday Inn-Viera. “You go and you eat and it’s a cash bar and during the night you can go and bid. We recruit some of the top chefs in Brevard County to do a signature dish. The donors will walk around and taste the different dishes at these chef stations. Along with it we have a silent auction and a live auction. We’re tying in a holiday theme.” 3. Bikers for Babies, scheduled for Nov. 11. “Basically, bikers come together and we have a sanctioned ride somewhere through Brevard County and then they come back and have a barbeque lunch and an auction.”